Mitch’s Pitches

Let me pitch you something: college students should be able to receive a degree in sports, just like other performing arts majors.

Just like for music, dance and theater majors, athletes are required to perform exceptionally well in front of a widespread audience for the sole purpose of public entertainment.

Furthermore, both fields are highly competitive, and must be a performer’s first priority.

Yet, universities are only awarding degrees to these majors, who are dedicating their entire college career (after general education) to countless theatrical performances, concerts and dance recitals.

In 1990, William F. Shughart II asked a question in a Wall Street Journal Op-Ed: “Why should academic credit be given for practicing the violin, but not for practicing a three-point shot?”

And so I ask, why can’t athletes focus all of their attention on their dreams of making a career out of playing a sport, instead of taking frivolous classes for a major they aren’t particularly interested in.

With a sports major, there would be structured curriculum around a particular sport.

It would help benefit an athlete’s physical performance, but also his or her mental performance.

Mandatory classes would include, sports history, sports law, sports management and sports analytics.

These classes wil give the athlete all the knowledge they need to be successful.

It would also benefit them after their professional playing career, or to those who didn’t make it professionally, who still want to be involved with their sport.

Longtime established classes like business, kinesiology, finance and marketing could also be mandatory to take, and could ultimately ignite interest in those fields in the sporting world.

Students are awarded scholarships from universities to study in a particular field, to eventually graduate with a degree, and make a career out of their specific field.

Shouldn’t universities be doing the same with sports?